Christy O'Connor: The boys are back in town — after 64 years

Aside from 2-pointers, a more open game is already leading to more scores. And, the longer the season goes on, the more some football matches will resemble hurling scorelines.

ON THE ROAD: Dublin make first trip in 64 years to Aughrim. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

On the morning that Dublin played Kerry in the 2001 All-Ireland quarter-final replay, the Dubs had stayed in a hotel just outside Thurles when one of the players spotted the actor Colm Meaney in the car-park.

At the time, Meaney was well known for playing the character Miles Edward O’Brien in the Star Trek franchise. As Meaney was making his way back to his car, the curtains in a second-floor room were pulled back with a flourish, the window flew open and a naked Dublin player appeared like a vision from Deep Space Nine. “Hey,” he roared out the window to Meaney, “beam me up, Scotty.”